


Purr-haps We Go On A Date?

by skzpresso



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Barista! Changbin, Barista! Jisung, Lisa and Chaeyoung make an appearance, M/M, lots of cat info, rated for mild language, the cats are pretty much minho's children
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2020-09-01 03:20:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20251312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skzpresso/pseuds/skzpresso
Summary: Seungmin loved working at the cat cafe. He had a fantastic manager, two amazing co-workers who love to joke around and is surrounded by cats.One cat he loves dearly, isn’t well received by the customers. It breaks his heart to see her pushed away every day and not be given any attention simply because of her breed.When Hyunjin, who is terrified of cats, comes in and immediately finds the unloved cat. He begins to come in regularly to bond with the cat and the cute employee.





	Purr-haps We Go On A Date?

**Author's Note:**

> I chose prompt #A91 and I really hope I did it justice! I love cats very dearly (I've had nearly a dozen over the course of my life) and loved the idea of writing a cat cafe. I couldn't find a lot of information on how the cafes exactly run so I did take some creative liberty. I also did a lot of research on the main cat breeds and tried to stay true to their characteristics while giving them a personality. Enjoy~

“Meeko, come down from there! Soda, you can’t eat that. _ Jade, _I will pick you up in a minute. Minho and Jisung better get here before I scream. I love you guys, but seriously, you’ve gotta help me out here!” 

Seungmin got to work early today, and he is deeply regretting it. Minho and Jisung usually come in a few minutes before he arrives. He’s never been the first employee in so he’s never had the pleasure of waking up the cats to make sure they’re not sick or in bad shape. Seungmin had been working here for over six months and enjoys it nonetheless. 

He works at the most popular cat cafe in their area. They hold over fifteen cats of various breeds. These are just the location-owned cats. Minho got in touch with the local shelter when he first became the manager. They enacted a deal that would allow the cafe to bring in the shelter cats as a way of adoption. These cats had on a collar that identified them as available to be adopted, so when people came to love these cats deeply they could adopt them for themselves through the shelter. It was a great way to get the cats to become social before letting them be officially claimed.

Seungmin loves all the cats, but he had a great relationship with Soda and Jade. Seungmin got hired the day Soda and Jade was brought in as kittens. The two were about four months old at the time. They always brought cats in early to adjust them to the location before putting them with the customers. The employees would interact with them constantly for a few weeks before introducing them on the less busy days. They had a few customers that would always come in to see the new cats when they were announced to get to know them. 

Yet, from the very start, one kitten was a favorite. 

Soda is a blue ragdoll, and she wasn’t a small cat. When she got to be fully grown she weighed upwards of thirteen pounds at first. She was very affectionate and people were enamored by how fluffy her coat was. She’s a very patient cat, so patient that children could pull on her ears and tail without her lashing out immediately. 

Jade is a sweet and playful cat. She’s intelligent and incredibly social. She loves children and other cats. She’s also learned how to do a few tricks for treats!

But, she’s a grey Sphynx. 

People don’t like these ‘hairless’ cats, which _ really _bothered Seungmin. Jade is very soft to the touch and gives off a lot of heat. In the winter, Seungmin has been known to read in the cat’s area and let her snuggle up to him. She doesn’t need any extra grooming, only some baths to make sure her skin isn’t irritated. 

He’s seen people pick up Jade and remove her from their area just because they don’t like the way she looks. They’ve pushed her away or ignored her when she asks for attention. They have also once lost customers because ‘they couldn’t bear to be in the same room as such a disgusting cat.’

Needless to say, Seungmin just wants Jade to be loved. He often stays after his shift for an hour or so to bond and love the attention-starved cat. 

They do have what they call the show-stopper cat. Meeko is a tabby Maine Coon that is absolutely _ majestic. _He’s almost twenty pounds and is an absolute sweetheart to the customers. He doesn’t actively try to get your attention but won’t say no to being pet. Meeko does have a habit of getting in very strange places or getting to the highest point in a room. He doesn’t listen to Seungmin, at all. Meeko does like Jisung though. 

Jisung often doesn’t realize how adorable it is to watch him struggle to pick up and carry Meeko. The cat purrs and nearly drools whenever Jisung picks him up. Meeko will also get into Jisung’s lap at every given opportunity. 

Seungmin had managed to get Soda to spit out the plastic wrapper she was trying to eat, only after having chased her around the room. He’s moved on to holding Jade while staring at Meeko in hopes of him getting down. 

Seungmin nearly cries tears of joy when he hears the doors open. 

“Meeko! Come here!” Jisung coos and that _ damn cat _gets down immediately to see Jisung. He nearly trots over and starts to nudge Jisung’s leg.

“Why does that cat love Jisung so much but won’t listen to me? I feed him, brush him, play with him, but _ no. _Meeko refuses to like me.” Seungmin whines. 

“I know that, but you have Jade and Soda who love you. Meeko is the only cat that puts up with Jisung.” 

“That’s because if Jisung were a cat he’d be like Meeko!” 

“I am _ right _here,” Jisung mumbles through Meeko’s thick fur covering his face. Meeko was purring loudly, loving the attention from Jisung.

“How long have you been here, Seungmin?” Minho asks while unlocking all the doors. Jisung reluctantly puts down Meeko and goes across the room to the coffee bar. 

“About an hour? I woke up early and couldn’t go back to sleep.” Seungmin sat down across from Jisung, who was getting the equipment ready for the day. The menu wasn’t extremely large. It was mainly a lot of basic coffees and snacks the customers could purchase. So the only equipment they needed was their coffee-related machines.

“Do you want me to make you something high powered? I know I’m going to have to make Changbin something like usual so I can make you a drink too.” Jisung offered. 

Jisung had been interested in coffee for most of his life. He got his first barista job in high school and hasn’t grown tired of it yet. Considering it’s been at least five years since Jisung first started, he still loves to learn new things involving coffee and the process itself.

“I’d really appreciate it, but don’t kill me with the caffeine. I would like to sleep tonight.” Seungmin teased. Jisung threw an empty cup at him in response. 

“I will put sleep aid in your coffee, do not try me.” Jisung jokingly threatened, desperately trying to hold back a smile.  


“Why do you have sleep aid?” Minho called out. Where he was, the two honestly couldn’t tell you. Minho was very good at seemingly appearing out of thin air. 

“Changbin sometimes needs it.” 

Changbin was one of Jisung’s closest friends, and he would fight anyone over Jisung. Changbin was a very protective and defensive person who would do anything for the people he loves. However, he’s recently begun to have a lot of trouble sleeping. He’s been known to come into work after two or three days without good sleep, a barely functioning human. Jisung had taken to buying some sleep aid to try and help him get some sleep since he refuses to go to the doctor just yet. Changbin also doesn’t like to take time off work to go to the doctor, so there have been many times that Minho has taken him home himself. 

This is why Changbin never shows up to work early. He usually arrives five minutes before opening. He is in charge of the coffee and snack bar with Jisung. Those two applied for the job together, and Minho decided to hire them both. He found their personalities great individually, but when they work together their energy is contagious.

It’s a small, but popular location considering it’s just the four of them mainly. Minho has called in some extra help before, paying them accordingly when they do come in. They do see a big surge in customers when they have a few more baristas for consecutive days, so Minho’s thinking about fully hiring his two helpful friends.

“I took a nap on the bus. I am ready for the day.” Changbin loudly announces, flinging the door open as he goes to help Jisung start the morning coffee. 

“I just finished making your drink. Give the iced one to Seungmin, please.” Jisung said as he handed Changbin two drinks. “Also, come stay at my place tonight Changbin. You might sleep better there without your family being all loud.” 

“Thanks, Ji. I might take you up on that offer. You have a fantastic couch.” Changbin sighs into his cup of ridiculously caffeinated coffee. This stuff was like diesel, but for the human body. Seungmin quite frankly didn’t understand how he could drink that. It was a regular hot coffee with a bit of sugar and milk, but at least six shots of espresso. Seungmin could smell when Jisung made it because his eyes nearly watered at the intense aroma. 

“The couch is quite frankly better than my actual bed, feel lucky.”

“Doors are opening! Let’s set the children free!” Minho said as he opened the last door for the cats. 

“_ Stop _calling them children! People think you’re weird, Minho.” Jisung tried to stop their manager from saying this all the time, but it never quite worked. Minho is a very dramatic manager, but he’s extremely caring and flexible if they need to change their schedule for some reason.

“Please, the customers wish the cats love them like they love me.” 

“Meeko still only likes Jisung.” Changbin pointed out after loudly sipping his coffee. It was very hot considering Changbin hissed and started fanning his mouth afterward.

“Meeko’s an asshole.”

“But your _ children~. _” 

“Shut it, Bin.” 

Seungmin did enjoy having Minho as their manager, the humor was a nice change from your typical job. 

He remembers when Jisung and Minho finally became closer. Jisung was honestly a bit intimidated by Minho at first, he only talked to him via Seungmin. At the time it annoyed Seungmin a bit, he didn’t see why Jisung couldn’t talk to Minho. 

But, Seungmin started noticing Jisung’s _ actions. _

Jisung often stared at Minho in admiration, he always looked fascinated by what Minho was doing. He also took every criticism from Minho to heart. Jisung used to come into work in just a sweatshirt and jeans, but Minho saw it as unprofessional. He started wearing more polished outfits to meet the standard. Changbin never had that problem. Seungmin honestly can’t recall a time where Changbin looked off. 

Jisung started coming in earlier and earlier with no prompting from Minho. He eventually got there at the same time Minho did and it hasn’t changed since. 

Seungmin believes that there’s a fine line between adoration and infatuation. He’s not sure if Jisung finds Minho to be a role model, or if there’s something more. 

He’s just thankful he’s not a glorified messenger pigeon anymore. 

The bell on the door rang signaling a customer, and all four could tell you exactly who it was. 

“Lisa, Chaeyoung! Good morning!” Jisung called out to the two ladies, “The usual, right?” 

“Yes, please. I do want extra whipped cream today though.” Chaeyoung always ordered a blended vanilla cappuccino. She seemed to always have a sweet tooth. Lisa went for an iced blonde flat white. 

Seungmin could not tell you what this coffee language means, but Jisung can make some of the most complex drinks come to life. Changbin had no true barista training, Jisung taught him nearly everything he knows. 

As Jisung and Changbin began to make quick work of the drinks, Lisa and Chaeyoung slipped twenty dollars into the tip jar. They do this every time they get paid. When the two got their drinks and paid, they nearly ran to the cat’s area. 

A distant _ “Soda!” _could be heard. 

“At least the first customers of the day are always nice,” Changbin muttered through a bagel he was attempting to eat without Minho noticing. “If they were rude regulars I would probably make their coffee decaf.” Jisung snickered at the bitter tone. 

“Eat the damn bagel already, I see more customers heading in.”

\- - -

“Felix, If I don’t make it, tell my dog they were always my favorite.” 

“Alright, Hyunjin. Want me to write your obituary while I’m at it?” 

“This is why we’re friends.” 

Hyunjin and Felix were university students, who weren’t necessarily the best with time management. They were often more stressed than they should be because the two procrastinate in every way possible. 

Hyunjin was sprawled across his desk, his legs stretched out past the seat in front of him. He was extremely tall in comparison to Felix who could curl up in his seat and still be comfortable. 

The two were chilling in an empty classroom typically used as a make-shift study hall before heading home for the day. Summer was brutal and the classroom had cool air conditioning that enticed students to stay longer. 

“I am _ so _ exhausted, why did we stay up studying last night? Was it worth it?” Hyunjin questioned aloud.

“Well, we both made an A on our psych test.” Felix pointed out in response.

“Felix, I have no fucking clue what Freud was good for. I thought we left him behind but _ no. _ He’s _ everywhere. _”

“He was the founder of psychoanalysis man, it’s inevitable.” 

“If I have to hear about the Oedipus Complex again I’m time traveling to choke-hold Freud.” Hyunjin felt like the complex was mentioned in every unit. Why? He had no clue. He wasn’t even majoring in psychology, but the general course was a requirement.

“Take me too, I’ll document it.” 

“Anyway, I need some coffee before I fall asleep right here.”

“The only cafe nearby is the cat cafe, you’re terrified of cats.” 

“Don’t they have to be in a separate area? Food laws and what not? I can just get the coffee and dip.” Hyunjin mentioned.

“Alright, I’m staying if there’s a cute boy or cat so you can leave on your own.” Felix was always searching for a cute boy it seemed like. He was a natural flirt but took relationships seriously. Sadly, he had not found someone else who does.

“I’m a cute boy,” Hyunjin whined, pouting to prove his point. Felix rolled his eyes at his over-dramatic friend. Hyunjin may be dramatic, but he’s a good friend to Felix overall. He sometimes wonders if he would be a different person today if he would have never met Hyunjin.

“Not my type of cute boy though.”

“Fine, let’s go before I become one with the desk.”

Hyunjin and Felix finally found their way out of the school building and were on their way to the cafe. 

The sun felt like it was burning their skin after being outside no longer than five minutes, Hyunjin mentally scolded himself seeing how he decided to wear jeans instead of shorts this morning. The walk itself was nice though, the cafe was in a downtown area near the university, so there were many shops and eateries to stop by once you finished with classes. The trees provided relief from the sun as they arrived at the cafe.

“Hi! Welcome to The Cat’s House, what would you like today?” A very animated guy with dark blue hair greeted them at the coffee bar. The coffee fragrance was very strong, but not unwelcome. 

“Ah, anything iced. Neither of us usually drink a lot of coffee so we aren’t too sure what we want.” Felix mentioned. The two were more energy drink fans, but they drank coffee when necessary.

“Do you two like more sweet things? Or prefer bitter.”

“Sweet. Anything vanilla or caramel is good.” Hyunjin knew they both loved sweets. The two always had candy or chocolate on hand.

“Alright. I’ll make two iced vanilla lattes. They’re one of the sweetest drinks we have. We can add whipped cream to that if you want. You seem new so I won’t charge extra for it.” The barista offered.

“Really? Sure. I’ve got this covered Felix.” Hyunjin lightly shoved him away so he could pay in peace.

“Can I get a name for the order?” The guy asked as he was entering the order on the register.

“Hyunjin.” 

“Alrighty, Hyunjin! Your order will be ready soon!” 

Hyunjin paid the total and sat down at the table near the door to the cat’s area. There we dozens of cats of different colors and sizes. One lady was simply reading a book while a cat kept her company in her lap. Hyunjin could see how this was relaxing. Dogs are very animated and always want to play, where a cat is content to just be in your company most of the time. 

He didn’t know _ why _he was afraid of cats, but they just caught him off guard. Cats seemed too relaxed to be true.

“Order for Hyunjin!” A different barista called out, he was a bit shorter than the other barista. He handed Hyunjin his drinks with a smile and continued working. 

“Thank you, have a nice day.” He always tried to be polite. Hyunjin turned to face Felix. “Lix, I am not going in there.” 

Felix was on the _ other _side of the door, already with the cats. He had what appeared to be a small lion or something in his lap. Hyunjin had never seen a cat that big. 

“But Meeko!” 

“Not a chance, Lix.” 

“Not to seem stalkerish but do you not like cats?” The blue-haired barista jumped in. He was leaning over the counter as he waited for a response.

“Not particularly, they freak me out.” Hyunjin noticed how the cat in Felix’s lap was loving all the attention Felix was giving him.

“We have lots of cats here that tailor to different people. Our manager could tell you anything you wanted to know about a cat.” 

“Nice to know. I’m not going in there though.” Hyunjin was stubborn. He didn’t mean to come across rude, but he didn’t like being questioned like this.

“Hyunjin, if you go in to give him the drink, chances are a cat won’t get to you that quickly. If you really don’t want to go in there, I can take it to him for you.” Hyunjin didn’t know why the guy was trying to be nice, but it didn’t sit well with him at the time.

“Ah, I’ll take it, but thanks-”

“Jisung.” He went back to working with the other barista. “Changbin! Put my drink down, make your own!”

Hyunjin stared at the door for seemingly hours before he finally opened it. He quickly made his way over to Felix who was still being accompanied by Meeko. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw another cat sleeping by themselves, noticing no one was near it. He handed Felix the drink and made his way over to the cat, who almost didn’t quite look like a cat. 

“Jade? Cute name.” He checked her collar and she rolled over in her sleep, showing that she was a very unique breed of cat. He gently placed a hand on her side, not enough to wake her up. She was very warm and ridiculously soft. Hyunjin couldn’t help but sit down next to the cat and gently pet her. 

She eventually opened her eyes and for a second he felt himself freeze. The cat jumped into his lap and turned a few times before laying back down. The cat stared up at him expectantly, purring softly. 

Hyunjin noticed how the name Jade fit, considering she had vibrant green eyes. She was a very cute cat, she didn’t seem as intimidating as the one Felix had. Hyunjin brought down a hand to scratch at her ears and she purred even louder. 

Hyunjin felt himself smile at the sweet feline in his lap. He could get used to this cat. He noticed someone sit down next to him as he was petting Jade. 

“Just so you know, you have another fuzzy friend at your feet. Soda is Jade’s playmate, so they’re a two for one when it comes to attention.” Hyunjin looked up at the man next to him. “I’m Minho, the manager. I noticed you were petting Jade and wanted to talk to you. She never gets attention from the customers because they think she’s gross or scary.”

“I’m not a cat person, I’m pretty scared of cats. The one my friend Felix is petting, Meeko? Absolutely terrifying to me.” 

“Jade here is a sphynx. They’re affectionate and incredibly curious. She seems to like you. Why don’t you come by a few times to see what it's all about? You could get used to cats through Jade and Soda.” Hyunjin looked down to his feet to see a cat that didn’t look real. 

“She’s pretty, are blue eyes a rare thing for cats?”

“Her breed, ragdolls, almost always have blue eyes. White cats with blue eyes are prone to going deaf, but since she’s blue she’s not as likely too. Ragdolls _ love _to be cuddled and showered with love. They’re a patient breed. Like the labrador of cats.”

“She’s very fluffy, do you have to brush her a lot?”

“We only have to brush her once or twice a week. Seriously, if you’re hesitant about cats. Soda and Jade are such great ways to get used to them. They’re super sweet and love the attention. If you’re a regular they come to like, they will visit you immediately. If you need anything, find me and let me know.” Minho pet Jade and Soda one last time before being off. 

Hyunjin slowly reached down to touch Soda, who put her head into the palm of his hand in n effort to show she wanted to be pet. He was astonished by how silky her coat was. She jumped onto the space next to Hyunjin and laid down against his thigh, happily grooming her paws before sleeping. Both cats were extremely warm. It would have been extremely uncomfortable if the cafe didn’t have such nice air conditioning.

Felix at this point had headed back to the coffee bar and sat across the baristas.  
  
“How long has this place been around?” Felix asked as he was still drinking the latte Jisung made. He had to admit, it was very good. Felix has had some bad coffee in his day, so this was a pleasant surprise. 

“Probably a year? I’ve been here for about five months, the same as Changbin. Seungmin, another employee, has been here for six months.” Jisung responded in a light tone. He seemed more social than Changbin, who was content just listening to the conversation.

“So there's only four of you? Including your manager.”

“Yeah, during holiday’s we bring in some extra assistance but other than that we keep the place running. We open for a few hours on the weekend, but close really early.”

“I’m honestly surprised Hyunjin is petting not one, but _ two _cats and looking happy about it. Two years ago he cried because a cat approached him on the street in the dark.” Felix fondly remembered that scenario because it was such a random thing to happen. 

They were coming home from a movie night with their friends, and they decided to walk instead of taking the bus. While they were waiting for the cross-walk to let them across, something brushed against Hyunjin’s leg. The sensation freaked out Hyunjin, but when he looked down and saw it was a cat, he started sobbing right there. Felix tried to comfort him as best as he could so they could get back to their dorm. Hyunjin managed to calm down a few minutes later but refused to talk about it. Since then he’s been more hesitant to cats, but nothing like that has ever happened again.

“To be honest the one in his lap, Jade is a cat no one seems to like. So for him to like her will make Seungmin happy. Soda and Jade are pretty much Seungmin’s cats. He cares for them a lot and always stays after to give Jade some extra affection.” Jisung boasted about Seungmin.

“Sounds like a nice guy.”

“He is, I think your friend over there is his type though.” Jisung jokes. They looked through the door to see Hyunjin softly smiling while petting Soda and Jade. Soda had rolled over onto her back, letting her tummy be scratched for a while. 

“He needs a boyfriend so he stops complaining,” Felix said. Hyunjin felt like people never truly cared for him, even though that couldn’t be farther from the truth. 

“Hmm, maybe they’ll meet at some point.”

“We don’t need to play matchmaker for Seungmin.” Changbin finally spoke up, a slightly defensive tone laced in his voice. 

“Oh yes we do, Hyunjin is a keeper,” Minho said as he walked behind the coffee bar to get to his things. “He’s even cuter up close, and he likes Jade. That’s all Seungmin needs.” 

“That’s not all he needs, Minho. Seungmin deserves a lot.”

“A lot of what?” Another person spoke up. A tall, red-headed guy came in from a back room. “Hi, I’m Seungmin. Are they aggravating you?” 

“Oh, no. They’re rather entertaining.” Felix reassured.

“Just wait until they start about something completely off-topic. You’ll never get them back to the original one.” Seungmin mentioned.

“Seungmin, quick, describe your perfect boyfriend.” Jisung nearly shouted. Seungmin seemed to blank and paused before he answered.

“Uh, breathing?”

“I-” Jisung had absolutely no idea how to respond to that, but he wasn’t wrong.

“Come on, tall? Handsome? Cute smile?” Minho encouraged.

“Ok, someone taller than me would be nice.” Seungmin gave in.

“One for one, boys.” Jisung cheered

“A good sense of humor. A sweet personality. Trustworthy. I mean, just a decent person to be honest. I don’t have a type.” Seungmin said honestly. 

“See! You don’t have to pressure Seungmin.” Changbin exclaimed. 

“Anyway, I’m going to go back again. I’ll be back before we close. It was nice to meet you!” Seungmin said as he went back to where he came from originally. 

“Does someone have a crush on Seungmin?” Jisung said in a teasing tone.

“No, I just know it sucks to have your relationship be tampered with. Not everyone benefits from being set up you know?” Changbin explained. 

“You’ve got a point, Bin.” 

“Lix! I say we head back to the dorm. We’ve been here for nearly an hour.” Hyunjin said as he came back into the coffee bar area. Jisung and Minho sighed seeing how Seungmin and Hyunjin had just missed each other.

“Ok, ok. Let’s go. Nice to meet you guys!” Felix farewelled as he and Hyunjin left to go back home. 

\- - -

“Children! I have _ kitty treats _!” Minho yells and shakes the bag of treats to lure all the cats to the sleeping area. They are in a closed-off section of the building with big windows and plenty of cat beds so they can clean the play area every night without the cats getting in the way. All the cats come charging at Minho while Seungmin shuts the door behind him. 

Jisung and Changbin usually take care of cleaning up the coffee bar and then come to help Seungmin and Minho with the cat’s area to get the job done faster. 

“Minho? Did you see someone with Jade today or I was seeing things?” Seungmin asked softly. From the time he started working here, he’s _ never _seen anyone stay with her longer than a minute or two.

“Yeah, I talked to the guy. He seems super nice, Jade and Soda both kept him company for a long time.” Soda herself rarely stays with the same person but for so long before she visits someone else. So for her to stay with someone that long is new.

“He was petting Jade?”

“He seemed to really like Jade. They clicked I think.” Minho reassured Seungmin. Minho was trying to subtly hype up Hyunjin, he wasn’t very straight forward with matchmaking, unlike a _ certain _barista. Who, speak of the devil, started yelling to join the conversation.

“You two talking about Hyunjin?” Jisung barged into the room, quickly the door to make sure no cats escaped. 

“If he was the one with Jade and Soda, yes. I didn’t talk to him. I didn’t even get a good look at him.” Seungmin said while filling up the cat’s food and water bowls. 

“You’re missing out. He’s ridiculously attractive. I nearly fainted when he and Felix came to the register.” 

“Are you still droning on about Hyunjin?” Changbin said picking up Jade before she darted out the door and gently putting her on a bed. “He’s cute and all but he could be an asshole.” 

“You’re right, but he’s nice to animals. He can’t be that bad of a person.” Jisung pointed out in response.

“Good point, but he could be bad with people.” 

“Well, maybe he will come in to see the cats again and we can gauge him from there,” Seungmin added, mainly to de-escalate the argument.

“I think he would fit Seungmin nicely. I don’t know, but it just seems right. You two would be great friends at the very least.” Jisung seemed passionate about this. 

“Jisung’s right. You don’t socialize the most and we don’t want you to get bored with us or get lonely.” Minho ruffled Seungmin’s hair. Minho always looked out for Seungmin more than Changbin and Jisung. It may be because Seungmin is the youngest, but he’s always been very caring.

“I get what you’re saying, but I don’t think I’ll get tired of you guys. If he comes back I’ll at least talk to him, how about that?” Seungmin offered. 

“You could be getting a very pretty boyfriend out of this.” Jisung teased as he pinched Seungmin’s cheek. “But, a good friend is better than a half-hearted relationship.” 

Jisung and Changbin headed out for the evening after Minho shooed them away, presumably back to Jisung’s place like they decided earlier. 

“Go on home, Min. Jade got a lot of love today, get some rest.” Minho gently pushed Seungmin to the door. “Text me when you get home so I know you’re safe. Remember to eat dinner too.” 

“Okay, _ Mom _. I will. See you in the morning.” 

\- - -

Hyunjin was thankful he didn’t have Friday classes. He always felt drained by the time Friday rolled around and barely left the dorm. 

But, he found himself planning to go out today. He really wanted to go back to the cat cafe and see the two cats. He liked Jade, he was still hesitant on Soda but she was super sweet and patient. So he thinks he’ll warm up to her soon. 

Hyunjin _ actually _checked the forecast for today and decided he didn’t want to die of heat-stroke, so he opted for shorts today. He hoped a cat wouldn’t scratch his leg. Knowing his luck, his leg would become a scratching post.

When he made it to the cafe, he realized they had just opened. Noting the sign on the door, they open at eight and closed at five. On the weekends they closed at one. Hyunjin decided to take a picture of the schedule so he wouldn’t forget.

“Hyunjin! Back so soon?” Jisung greeted brightly. Changbin was nearly asleep trying to drink his coffee. 

“Yeah, I really liked the two cats yesterday. I don’t have classes on Fridays so I thought I’d come in early.” Hyunjin explained. He noticed Changbin glancing at him with an off look. He wasn’t quite sure why Changbin was watching him so closely, it did make him very nervous.

“That’s awesome! Lisa and Chaeyoung are the only ones here right now. They visit before they go to work. Vanilla latte with whipped cream?” 

“Yes, and I’ll pay for the whipped cream this time.” Hyunjin joked. Jisung laughed as he rang up the order. 

“Alright, You know how to make a latte?” Jisung quirked an eyebrow at Hyunjin.

“To be honest, no clue.” 

“Well, watch and learn!” 

Hyunjin watched, but he did not learn. Jisung was very skilled at making drinks and could probably make these in his sleep. He thought that Jisung should take to teaching new baristas if he loved it this much.

Hyunjin thanked Jisung for the lesson _ and _the drink as he made his way to the cats. He scanned around for Jade and noticed someone was already with her. 

Jade was happily rolling around in the guy’s lap as he was petting her. He laughed lightly to himself, not noticing someone else was there yet. Hyunjin could only describe the scene as cute. He noticed two women with Soda across the room, must have been Lisa and Chaeyoung. 

Hyunjin carefully approached Jade and the person with her. The individual looked up at Hyunjin after a few seconds. 

Hyunjin thought he would internally combust. The guy was incredibly cute, but at the same time handsome. The red hair somehow accentuated his features. Hyunjin glanced at the ground out of embarrassment. 

“Oh! You were here yesterday. You stayed with Jade right?” 

“Yeah, I liked her so I wanted to come back.”

“I’m Seungmin by the way!”

\- - -

Seungmin understood what Jisung meant yesterday. Seungmin was completely enamored by Hyunjin’s appearance. 

“Not many people like Jade. It’s a nice surprise.” 

“I’m actually scared of cats. Felix brought me here yesterday and Jade was the least intimidating cat. That one over there-” Hyunjin pointed at the large cat that was lounging on a cat tower. “-scares me.”

“That’s Meeko. He doesn’t listen to me at all. Meeko likes Jisung believe it or not. It’s funny when Jisung picks him up.” Hyunjin laughed. Seungmin dared to say it was more like a giggle. He noticed Hyunjin’s entire face crinkles when he laughs. His face reading happiness.

“That cat is as big as Jisung, how does he carry him?”

“Sheer determination I guess. I can introduce you to Meeko if you’d like. He’s not as scary as he might look. He’s a big softie at heart. He loves being petted but won’t actively ask for it like Soda does.” Seungmin explained. Hyunjin looked rather on the fence about it. 

“I can try to get near him, don’t make fun of me if I run though,” Hyunjin warned. Seungmin offered a warm smile in return.

“I would never.” 

Seungmin stands to take Hyunjin over, almost bumping into his chest. He realizes Hyunjin is at least three inches taller than him. His shoulders are much broader than his own and it makes Seungmin feel small for once. He’s used to being the tallest in the building because Minho, Jisung, and Changbin are all on the short side. 

Being this close to Hyunjin, Seungmin noticed the small mole beneath his eye and how angular his face was. Seungmin quickly turned away from Hyunjin so he wasn’t caught staring and walks off toward Meeko. 

Hyunjin stands behind Seungmin as they get to Meeko, who looks uninterested in Seungmin. Hyunjin is actively trying to hide from the cat by standing behind Seungmin.

“No, I’m not Jisung, Meeko. It’s me. Your least favorite person. Anyway, Meeko might seem to be mean but once you pet him he starts to purr loudly and it’s kinda funny.”

“This is a small lion, it’s even more terrifying this close.” Hyunjin voice was small compared to the low tone he spoke with earlier. 

“He’s a Maine Coon. Their breed is very friendly and affectionate. He’s a troublemaker when he wants to be. We opened late once because he was hiding from me, and since Jisung took off that day it took forever. He won’t bite you, I can assure you about that.” Seungmin tried to ease Hyunjin’s nerves. He stayed firmly where he was standing.

“You pet him first.” This was Hyunjin’s only request

So, Seungmin pet the cat. He scratched Meeko’s cheeks and he immediately began to purr. Meeko’s eyes close in delight at the action. Seungmin could never truly get used to just how big Meeko was. Maine coons could be larger than most small dogs on the regular. His feet were insanely big but so incredibly soft if he didn’t have his claws extended. The tufts of fur between the pads of his paws and the ones in his ears were a good indicator of just how long his coat was. 

“I have never heard a cat purr that loudly, he’s a giant.” Hyunjin’s voice cracked slightly.

“He’s a giant _ softie _, give me your hand.” Hyunjin’s eyes widened a bit in shock. 

Hyunjin extended his hand forward and Seungmin placed his own on the back of Hyunjin’s, their fingers lightly interlaced. Seungmin guided their hands to Meeko’s back and pet the gentle giant who resumed purring. 

Hyunjin found himself more focused on Seungmin’s hand rather than the cat. Hyunjin’s hand was still visible around Seungmin’s slightly smaller one. To be standing how they are he is close to Seungmin’s back, barely a few inches, and has no clue how to feel about it. 

He doesn’t seem to be bothered, except he can feel Hyunjin’s breath against his neck and is doing everything in his power to not react. 

Seungmin eventually removes his hand from Hyunjin’s to let him pet Meeko on his own. Hyunjin jerked his hand away for a second before trying to pet him again. He could feel how tense he was behind him, he was radiating nervousness. 

“See, not to bad. Let’s head back to Jade for now.” Seungmin grabbed Hyunjin’s wrist to lead him back to Jade. 

Hyunjin found that he liked Jade _ and _Seungmin’s company. 

“Do you know why you’re scared of cats? Or has it always been a fear of yours?” Seungmin asked. He was sitting on the bench facing Hyunjin, feet drawn up beneath himself. The sun was coming in through the window at the right angle to light the room up more, showing just how bright Seungmin’s hair was.

“I think I've always had this fear. A cat of some type must have mauled me in a previous life.” Hyunjin tried to joke.  
  
“So you’re a dog person then?” 

“Oh, yeah. I’ve grown up with dogs so I love them a lot.”

“Everyone has a preference, it’s nice to see Jade interacting with someone though. Normally people who don’t like cats _ hate _a Sphynx. They think their hairless but their not. She has a very soft, down-like coat, she feels a lot like a peach.” Seungmin explained as he watched Hyunjin play with the cat. Hyunjin was smiling sweetly at the cat, which nearly melted Seungmin’s heart. 

A small meow caused them both to look at the floor between them, Soda having noticed they were here. Seungmin motioned for the cat to get in his lap and she jumped up to him purring already. 

“Minho told me about her breed. Are there other breeds here too?” Hyunjin asked. 

“We have all kinds of breeds, we have the most American Shorthairs. They’re your typical, everyday housecat. We have a pair of Siamese cats who talk to each other nearly all day. Siamese cats are really vocal and very curious. They can learn how to play fetch and be walked on a leash. Usually, they’re pointed. Light body but dark ears, face, tail, and feet. Then we have Meeko, Jade, and Soda. We have a few others but I’m sure you don’t want to hear me ramble on about cats.”

“No I don’t mind, I think it’s nice that you're passionate about the cats, you seem to genuinely love them.” Hyunjin looked up from Jade to look at Seungmin. “Honestly, it’s nice just talking to you.”

\- - -

“How long have those two been talking? I haven’t seen Seungmin go into hiding yet.” Minho asked Jisung and Changbin. The two just finished with the lunch crowd and were rather exhausted from the sudden influx of customers. 

“Hyunjin got here right after Lisa and Chaeyoung. They’ve been together for at least five hours.” Jisung put together. 

“And they’re still talking? They get along well.” Minho said before he moved along.

“Twenty dollars they’ll be dating by the end of the month,” Jisung said to Changbin. He stopped wiping down the counter to face Jisung, a hand on his hip.

“I’m not encouraging this. Let them be.” Changbin said. 

“They’re cute together though!” 

“Alright. How about this. You say they’ll be dating at the end of the month. If you’re right I’ll give you twenty bucks, if they’re not dating then you ask out Minho.” 

Jisung nearly choked on his saliva when Changbin said that. 

“What do you _ mean _?” Jisung’s eyes were blown open in confusion. 

“You like Minho,” Changbin stated like it were obvious. Jisung, however, did not see it like that.

“No?”

“Oh, so you just admire him?” 

“No?” Jisung didn’t understand what Changbin was trying to prove here. If anything it annoyed it.

“Deal or no deal.” Changbin offered this as an ultimatum. Jisung thought on it for a minute before he answered confidently. 

“You know what, deal! I don’t have to like Minho to ask him on a date.” 

“Sure.” Changbin drawled. 

“Oh, shut up!” 

Changbin stuck his tongue out at Jisung who ultimately turned his back to ignore him.

\- - -

“I’m going to hire you at this rate, Hyunjin. Jisung’s taught you every trick in the book and you help when it gets busy. You are a blessing.” Minho squished Hyunjin’s face between his hands. Hyunjin tries to form a response but only sounds like an over-enthusiastic zombie.

“If you want an answer you gotta let go of his face, Minho,” Seungmin said as he was drinking some coffee while sat next to Changbin. The two wound up drinking coffee together every morning over the past week, becoming part of the morning routine.

“You’ve come here every day after school for the past four weeks, plus the weekends and you stay until closing. Sometimes you help us clean up and you’ve been doing it for free and I _ hate it _. Let me pay you.” He tried to reason with the significantly taller guy.

“I’m fine for now Minho. I just like to help out. It’s nice here.” Hyunjin said laying down across Seungmin and Changbin’s lap. 

Hyunjin had become a loyal regular during these past four weeks. He hasn’t missed a day coming to the cafe to bond with Jade and Seungmin. Felix would stop by with him at least once a week to see Meeko. He wasn’t as interested in coming every day like Hyunjin was.

Jisung has taught him how to make various coffee drinks when they had time and now Hyunjin can help at the coffee bar. So when it gets busy, Hyunjin will act as a third barista to help take some of the burdens off Changbin and Jisung.

They’ve seen a massive influx of customers for their location since Hyunjin started coming every day. People think he’s a new employee and come to see who he is, and him being as attractive and kind as he is played into that. 

Hyunjin has also gotten over his massive fear of cats. He still gets spooked if they approach him unexpectedly or run towards him. However, he can pet _ all _the cats by himself. He has even grown to like Meeko. Seungmin is still pissed Meeko like Hyunjin more than himself. He’s come to think Meeko’s just holding a grudge against him for some reason.

Jade and Soda love Hyunjin. As soon as he walks into the cat’s area, they immediately go to a certain bench and wait for Hyunjin to get there. It’s a nice change to see how much attention Jade’s gotten recently as well. When the customers see both Hyunjin and Seungmin interacting with the cat, they’re less likely to push her away.

Seungmin and Hyunjin spend time with the cats together every day, and they’ve gotten rather close. 

“Alright, you pool noodle, I need to get to work,” Changbin grumbled as he went to stand up. Hyunjin had to stand up himself in order not to roll off onto the ground.

“A _ pool noodle. _” Jisung wheezed from his spot behind the coffee bar. He’s doubled over in laughter to where you can’t see him at all.

“He’s tall, and he just reminds me of a pool noodle. Why? No fucking idea.” Changbin tries to explain but instead resulting in everyone laughing. 

“I’m too cute to be a pool noodle!” Hyunjin exclaimed. Hyunjin turned over onto his back, his head still in Seungmin’s lap. Seungmin took to combing through Hyunjin’s hair gently. 

“Since it’s Saturday and we’re closing at lunch, how about we all go out to grab some lunch then!” Minho offered. “It’s on me.”

“You’d be paying for five people to eat, let us pitch in.” Changbin tried to negotiate with Minho. He waved off Changbin and clamped a hand over his mouth. Changbin looked extremely displeased to be silenced in such a way.

“Nope. I’m paying. Take it or leave it.” Minho announced one last time.

They unanimously agree to all go out to lunch once they close. 

“Hyunjinnie let’s go to the cats.” Seungmin murmured, patting his chest to catch his attention. 

“But you’re comfortable,” Hyunjin whined. He rolled over onto his side and wrapped his arms around Seungmin’s thigh. 

“You can lay back down when we go see the cats. Soda will cuddle with you.”

“What if I want to cuddle with you?” Hyunjin asked, looking up at Seungmin with a small pout adorning his face. 

Seungmin felt himself flush a deep red, not sure how to answer Hyunjin. He looked away to try and hide his embarrassment, but to his dismay, Hyunjin noticed. 

“Aw, Seungminnie’s blushing!” Hyunjin sat up and cupped Seungmin’s face in his hands. He brought their faces close together, noses nearly touching.“Did I make you nervous?” Hyunjin whispered with a smirk, a devious expression masking his face.

Seungmin tried to laugh it off so he didn’t give Hyunjin to satisfaction of flustering him.

“You wish!” Seungmin jabbed his fingers into Hyunjin’s side, effectively startling him to a standing position. 

Seungmin and Hyunjin sat in the usual far corner of the cat’s area, Jade and Soda were already waiting for them. The two cats jumped down to wind around their legs and affectionately nudge them. It took the two a few extra minutes to sit down because the cats were very adamant about attention today. 

Eventually, Hyunjin laid back down on Seungmin’s lap, Soda laying on his chest. She wasn’t a small cat so he immediately felt her weight when she settled down.

“How heavy is Soda? I can barely breathe.” 

“I think she’s almost fifteen pounds, just wait until Meeko tries to sit on your chest. He weighs twenty. Jisung nearly falls over every time he picks up Meeko.”

“Jisung’s tiny though.” 

“At least I’m not a _ pool noodle _!” Jisung shouts from the coffee bar. 

Seungmin and Hyunjin glance at each other before bursting into a fit of giggles. Soda was afraid she was going to fall of Hyunjin’s chest, so she sank her claws into his shirt. Hyunjin sucked in air between his teeth from the sudden prickling pain, nothing bad but there were claw prints on his chest now.

“Look, even Jade ran off!” Seungmin pointed out. The cat was observing them from the top of a cat tower, far away from them. 

“It’s fine, they’ll come back soon.” Hyunjin sat up after gently moving Soda to the ground. “I am free to move around as much as I want until they come back.” He proves by wiggling for a few seconds. 

“And what if you moving bothers me?”  


“Then you’ll have to stop me!” 

“How do you propose I do that?”

“You could,” Hyunjin’s voice faded as he thought. The right words coming to mind quickly, “Hold me!” 

“You’re so flirty, you know that right?” Seungmin tried to tease, mainly to mask how that affected him.

“Just with you.”

“You only flirt with me?”

Hyunjin hummed in agreement. Seungmin isn’t quite sure how Hyunjin has this much confidence to admit he’s flirting with Seungmin. 

“Does that mean you’re interested in me?” Seungmin asked before he could stop himself. He mentally slapped himself as he watched Hyunjin think for a moment.

“That’s a _ secret. _” Hyunjin sat up and turned to face Seungmin. The two locked eyes for only a few seconds, but it somehow felt longer. An odd tension between them began to set in, a sudden shift in their dynamic.

Noon rolled around faster than they expected, but that meant it was already time to go to lunch. 

“I slept like the dead on my break so I’m _ ready _,” Changbin announced with one last coffee in hand. “And I’ve only had two cups of coffee today, not the strong stuff either!” Jisung was wiping down the coffee bar as Changbin was headed towards the door.

“You slept on my couch again last night, you get the best sleep at my place. I’m serious, you can move in with me.” Jisung encouraged. This had been a common conversation between the two. 

Changbin had a rather large family, a few brothers, and sisters that never seemed to settle down. Not to mention his parents arguing well into the night. He hadn’t moved out on his own yet just to make sure nothing happens to his siblings. As of now, nothing has happened. Things change sadly. He doesn’t want to suddenly move out and one of his parents begin to harass his brothers and sisters.

“I don’t want to burden you Jisung. We already work together, living together would just be a mess.”

“You need to move out of that house.” Jisung’s voice was firm and serious. He rarely got like this, but he was just as protective over Changbin as the older one was over himself. 

“I know, Jisung.”

“Then at least use my place as a transitional house. I can help you find somewhere and maybe a good roommate if you need it. Please, Changbin.” Jisung begged.

“Let me think about it, Ji. I’ll let you know soon, okay?” 

The two eventually headed out to see Minho already in his car, Seungmin and Hyunjin looking rather perplexed. 

“One of you two will have to sit in the middle back. Minho says we’re both too tall to see around.” Seungmin pointed to the back of the car. “He has no leg room in general in this car.”

“I got a discount on this thing. I struck a deal!” Minho yelled from the driver’s seat. He climbed out of the car himself to look at the situation before him. The five thought for quite a while before an idea struck them.

“I can drive.” Hyunjin finally spoke up. “If Minho doesn’t mind, Seungmin and I could take the front since there’s more space.” 

“You can _ drive _?” Changbin didn’t quite believe it. Hyunjin pulled out his driver’s license as proof. “Suddenly you’re ten times hotter.” He added. Hyunjin will not admit he felt his face get hot, chances are he was blushing. Jisung and Minho nearly crumpled in laughter, Seungmin barely stifling his amusement.

“I usually do not need to drive, but I’m still legal.” Minho handed Hyunjin the keys and moved to the back. 

“Don’t kill me or the others and we’ll be okay,” Minho warned.

“What about the car?” Changbin asked out of curiosity.

“I’ve got good insurance.” And with that, they were off. Hyunjin had no idea where they were going, following the directions Minho was giving him. 

A twenty-minute ride turned into a forty-minute drive because heavy traffic had other ideas. Jisung and Changbin had decided to see how ridiculous of a poem they could make based on the other’s last sentence.

“New poem time, you start Changbin.”

“Ok. _ Yellow yarn digs deep into the soul _.” Changbin said the first thing that he thought of.

“Where am I supposed to go with that?_ For what, everyone should know _.”

“_ Yarn is the key to happiness, but only in yellow _.”

“_ Sadness is looming like a close fellow _.” 

“Wait, why did that sound wise?” Hyunjin said from his spot in the driver’s seat. At some point, his left hand moved to rest on Seungmin’s knee. Seungmin was going crazy trying to ignore the random tapping or patterns he would draw. Hyunjin’s hand was large enough to cover his entire knee, once again making Seungmin feel small.

“Because I am wise?” Jisung said like it were common knowledge.

“I hate to break it to you, Ji. You aren’t wise.” Seungmin spoke up. Jisung gasped in offense.

“But who said sadness is looming like a close fellow, huh?”

“Suddenly I don’t know a Han Jisung,” Changbin said as he looked out the window. Jisung reached across Minho to slap at Changbin’s shoulder. 

“Question, are they dating?” Hyunjin leaned over slightly to ask Seungmin, who began laughing at the question. He calmed down once he noticed Hyunjin was serious.

“Are you genuinely asking?”

“What do you want to know?” Changbin had overheard Seungmin’s question.

“Are you and Jisung dating?” Hyunjin asked. The car fell silent, the song playing on the radio coming to an end, adding to the silence. 

Suddenly Changbin and Jisung were hurriedly explaining that they were not dating, they were both extremely embarrassed that they had given Hyunjin that idea. Minho and Seungmin giggling at the rushed responses. 

“You two just suddenly seemed closer. Didn’t mean to embarrass you or anything.” Hyunjin tried to soothe the situation.

“It’s fine, Hyunjin,” Changbin said as he sank back down into his seat. 

“Oh! The next right is our destination!” Minho called out from the back. 

When Hyunjin turned they all noticed it was a cute diner. It seemed to be small and not overly populated. 

“I came here a few weeks ago and they have some amazing food. It’s small and not well known but I enjoyed it.” Minho said as they all got out of the car. They were very happy to out from Minho’s cramped car. Changbin nearly fell over from the extensive stretch. It was only nearly considering Jisung prevented him from falling by grabbing the back of his jacket. 

“Dumbass, stop falling.” Jisung smiled, his affection had never been normal. He rarely was straightforward with how he felt towards his friends, usually resulting in bad insults that carry no weight.

The diner had only a few booths and tables, but it was clean and well air-conditioned. It smelled fantastic, the five men suddenly realizing how hungry they were. It didn’t take them long what they decided on to eat.

After annihilating half the lunch menu, they decided to order milkshakes to go. Minho said they had some of the best in the area.

“I might go back and hang out with the cats for a while before I go back home. I need to adopt a cat for my place. It gets too quiet sometimes.” Seungmin said. Hyunjin was sitting on his right at the round table. He was playing with Seungmin’s fingers as they talked. 

He had come to learn and accept Hyunjin was very physically affectionate. Hyunjin loved to hug Seungmin and the others at any given opportunity. Even Changbin, who was hesitant about Hyunjin, had come to like receiving hugs from him. Hyunjin also liked small touches like holding hands or leaning against someone.

“I can go with you. I’ve got some homework I could do. You and the cats happen to be great company.” Hyunjin added softly. 

“That’d be nice. I’m not sure if a bus is going to come around just yet though.” 

“We can all head back to the cafe, and then Minho can take Changbin and Jisung home.” Hyunjin attempted to offer.

“I was listening to the last bit of that conversation, not going to lie, and that sounds fine to me. Sometimes Jisung and Changbin find shady uber drivers to take them home and I don’t like it.” Minho said as he was fishing around in his pockets. “Here’s the keys to the place. If you use the coffee bar, make sure to clean it. Lock the doors while you’re in there so no one comes in. Lock them on your way out. Make sure-”

“Minho, it’s okay. We’ll take care of it.” Seungmin says grabbing both of Minho’s hands. “I know you want to make sure we’re okay but you’re going to die early if you worry that much.”

“Alright, I know. Oh! Our milkshakes!” Minho interrupted himself when he saw the tray of drinks coming their way. 

Thankfully the drive _ back _to the cafe was a lot shorter. Lunchtime traffic had finished up and it was a dead time of day. Saturdays were either extremely hectic or very dead, there wasn’t much in between. They all five got out of the car so they could rearrange themselves. Hyunjin and Seungmin watched as Jisung and Changbin played a quick game to see who would take the passenger’s seat. Changbin won the game, leaving Jisung to pout in the backseat. 

“Drive safe, Minho!” Hyunjin said before entering the cafe behind Seungmin once again. 

\- - -

“Hyunjin. Meeko’s eating your essay.” Seungmin said from across the room. He was perched in a window nook with a book, and Jade in his lap. He was very happy to be relaxing, it was somehow even nicer to have company. However, hearing Meeko trying to eat the paper was distracting him. 

“_ My essay! _ ” Hyunjin screeched as he tried to pry Meeko off his paper. Seungmin had begun laughing at the interaction “This is an important grade, Meeko, do _ not _make me call Jisung!” Hyunjin attempted to threaten the cat.

Just by the sheer mention of Jisung’s name, Meeko decided to leave Hyunjin’s paper alone. 

“I don’t want to have to try and remember what I wrote for this class. I’m always cramming and chunking to learn it.”

“You’re good at psych though. I hated it.”

“It’s nice to learn about, but it can get boring.” The conversation ended there while Hyunjin finished his math assignment. Seungmin didn’t know how long he was going to stay with him, but it was nearing dinner time and he showed no signs of leaving. 

When Hyunjin did finish his assignment, he wandered over to Seungmin. He placed Jade on the ground and laid down between Seungmin’s legs. He had his arms wrapped around his waist with his head on Seungmin’s chest since he was propped against the wall. He could feel and hear his heart rate picked up slightly. 

“Are you comfortable?” Seungmin asked, still not looking away from his book. Hyunjin only gripped him tighter in response. Seungmin found the warmth of Hyunjin soothing, relaxing him. He brushed through Hyunjin’s hair as he continued reading.

When Seungmin finished the chapter he was reading, he noticed Hyunjin had actually fallen asleep. He lightly shakes Hyunjin’s shoulders to wake him up. He only grumbled in response and nestled in further. 

“Hyunjin, it’s getting late. We should make our way home.” Seungmin said once he got Hyunjin to sit up and pay attention. He rubbed at his eyes before squinting at the clock, having to focus hard to see the numbers since his eyes weren’t focused yet. 

“Let’s get dinner together, then head home.” Hyunjin proposed. 

“Ok, that sounds nice,” Seungmin said as he started to clean up one last time. In a surge of confidence, Hyunjin grabbed Seungmin’s wrist to gain his attention. 

“Perhaps we make it a date?” Hyunjin asked sweetly, his confidence fading before he could finish the sentence strongly. Seungmin seemed to be at a loss of words. “I’m sorry if I made this really awkward. I just thought that…” Hyunjin trailed off when he noticed Seungmin smiling. Seungmin leaned forward and pressed a quick peck to Hyunjin’s cheek, leaving the taller in shock.

“Yeah, let’s make it a date.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I was insanely inspired to write this fic. My first draft was probably completed in four days? I held on to it for a long time before doing the final edits so I could look at it with a fresh set of eyes. Please let me know if there are any errors or something that didn't make sense! I hope you enjoyed this fic and the others that are within this fic fest!


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